Half

~Home of the Cranks~

POV (Y/n)

-1 Year and 12 Days in the Scorch-

I open the map in hurried motions in front of Vince, "here, it's a few hundred miles. Based on the railways and everything Aris told us. This has to be where they're heading. We take everyone who can fight, follow the roads where we can, and we can make it back within a week," I explain my and Thomas's plan to him. "A week?" Vince asked his eyes look tired and frustrated as they bore into mine. "It took us six months to get here. We got over 100 kids here now. We can't just hang out here forever, after what we just pulled. You guys wanna wander off to some random point on the map. You don't even know what's there," Vince starts looking between Thomas and me.

"I do," Jorge says emerging from the shadows as usual "it's been a few years, but I've been there. The Last City," he states as he approaches the map and I remove my eyes to look at Vince with a smug look, random place on the map my ass. "That's what WICKED called it. It was their whole base of operations. If that city is still standing, that's the last place you wanna go, Hermanos. It's the lion's den," Jorge tells us and I tear my smug look away from Vince to look at Jorge with shock.

"It's nothing we haven't done before," Thomas tells Jorge plainly and I'm thankful for my brother's matching stubbornness. In the last year, we'd grown much closer although I'm not the sister of his memories, I'm still his sister. "Yeah, with months of planning, and reliable information, the element of surprise, none of which we have now," Vince tells us his voice raising with every point he tries to make, but it's a useless job trying to change our minds. 

"Vince, We've thought this through. Just hear us out," Thomas says before Vince cuts him off "The last time we went off half-cocked... I lost everything! Remember that?" he asked reminding us of an awful failed attempt to rescue Minho early on. We both go quiet unable to argue "look, I know it's Minho. All right? But you can't ask me to put those kids on the line for one man. I won't do it," Vince states plainly before all our thoughts are interrupted by radio chatter.

We spring to action fast "Hit the light!" I shout and run to ensure no lights are on in any remaining part of the building. When the danger passes we all head to bed, but I have no intention of sleeping. Newt, Fry, and I know my brother and know he plans to go get Minho with or without help. Since we prefer he not die, help would be useful in this situation. I spend my time while the others sleep packing everything we'll need, and I feel the plague of memories eating at me. Packing to leave the glade right before Gally died, or packing before leaving WICKED the last time before Winston died. 

As I settled in to wait with Newt and Fry I had to push down the fear that this would be a common occurrence. When Thomas approaches Newt brings his attention to us "where do you think you're going then?" he asks cutting on a light to illuminate himself. Thomas sighs "Newt..." he starts but Newt interrupts his explanation "don't be a twat about it. I'm already in, come on," Newt says grabbing the bag from Thomas's hand and walking towards the rover where Fry and I sit unnoticed. 

"No. No, not this time. Look, even if we find Minho, there's no guarantee we make it back from this," Thomas explains but Newt is unphased like Fry and me at the prospect of death. "Well, you'll need all the help you can get then, won't you?" Newt asks opening the driver's door to reveal Fry in the driver's seat and me in the passenger's side. Thomas scoffs but doesn't argue as he looks at the three of us. "Well, we started this together. May as well end it that way, too," Newt tells him and Thomas softens "okay, let's go get him back," he says before getting into the car.

We drive for hours, but no one is tired even once the sun is high in the sky. "Do you really think the cities still standing?" Fry asks no one inparticular and I nod "if I know WICKED they found a way," I say looking on wishing for the city to already be in view. I wanted to save Minho and watch WICKED burn, and I could almost see it. We stop at a abandon mandatory infection check sight, that obviously didn't work as planned. The tunnel ahead of us is dark and definitely not what anyone would consider safe.

"You want us to go in there?" Newt asks looking back at Thomas who's been directing with the map he'd stolen. "I don't want to come across as too negative, but I mean if I was a Crank, that's exactly where I would be," Newt says and I step closer to the tunnel. I flip the flashlight on and let my eyes survey the place. "Yeah, but I don't think we have much of a choice," I say looking into the abyss.

Newt sighs "All right. I get shotgun," he says turning back to the car, and we all follow suit.